Wicklow Minor footballer Eoin Darcy was honoured at a gala banquet in Croke Park on Saturday with a Minor Star award following on from his wonderful exploits during 2018 that saw him leading the attack for Kevin O'Brien's side that brought renewed hope to GAA supporters in the county.

Wicklow Minor footballer Eoin Darcy was honoured at a gala banquet in Croke Park on Saturday with a Minor Star award following on from his wonderful exploits during 2018 that saw him leading the attack for Kevin O'Brien's side that brought renewed hope to GAA supporters in the county.

Speaking on Sunday afternoon ahead of his club Tinahely's victory in the Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship, the modest Eoin, who picked up the full-forward award on the national team, was quick to heap praise on all of his Wicklow colleagues who he feels did the hard work further out the field.

'There's any number of lads that could have had a shout at this award. Without all the lads all over the field supplying ball myself and Matty (Matthew Ging) inside wouldn't have got the ball,' said Eoin.

Eoin said that the difference with the Minor squad in 2018 came about through the squad uniting over the course of the campaign.

'We went away to Mayo for a weekend and we were all kind of in our groups with lads we knew. But after that, you know if we were getting food up in Ballinakill or in Aughrim we'd be sitting with everyone. It would be rare to see two club men sitting together. No divide whatsoever.

'To be fair to Kevin (O'Brien), he brought us away and he gelled us together very well, him and Eoin Phibbs and Garrett (Doyle),' he added.

Eoin is now finished at Minor but he says that the Minor team that will follow has as much potential.

Next season, Eoin will hopefully feature for the Tinahely adult team and whether that is at Senior or Intermediate remains to be seen. Either way, he will be a serious talent on the football fields of Wicklow.